Safety guard for presses



April 20, 1948. MURCKO 2,440,111

SAFETY GUARD FOR PRESSES F iled March 20, 1945 Fig.1

INVENTOR P4212 J Marc/(0 BY A9 J06! W m4 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE SAFETY GUARD FOR PRESSES Paul J. Murcko, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application March 20, 1945, Serial No. 583,759

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to guards for punch presses and the like, and more particularly to guards of the type in which a pendant arm swings across the front of the die-space, to ensure that the hands of an operator are out of the way of the tools in the press.

An object of the invention is to provide an im-' Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pendant guard of simple construction which may be quickly adjusted after installation, to provide the proper desired action,

These and other objects are accomplished in the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein by a novel structure wherein a pendant guard arm is plvotally mounted at the center of the press in front of the ram, and actuated by a linkage fixed to the ram, and connected to the arm through a sleeve or collar connection slidable on the latter. By this construction but comparatively few parts are required to obtain a full sweeping action of the arm in response to the vertical reciprocation of the ram.

Adjustment of the device is efiected in an extremely simple manner, by shifting in either of various directions the position of the link fixedly carried by the ram, the mounting for the link being made adjustable for this purpose.

Since but few parts are employed, and since the operation and movements are extremely simple, the device is reliable in use, and will not get out of order easily. The various parts may be made up quickly of stock readily available, so that the device is economical to fabricate.

Qther features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a press and guard made according to the invention, the rain of the press being in raised position, and dotted lines indicating the lowered position of the ram, and the corresponding position of the guard arm.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view, partly in section, of the press and guard.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a Punch press I I) is shown having a ram ll vertically movable between guides !2 secured to the press fram l3. The ram ll may have a plurality of punches M for cooperation with dies I5 secured to the bed lfia of the press. Usually the punches M are carried by a block or base It which is secured to the ram II by screws IT.

The guard of this invention is of novel and simple construction, and comprises a pendant or guard arm I 8 which is preferably formed of round bar stock such as cold rolled, a diameter of approximately being suitable in most cases. The arm (8 is formed-generally in the shape of an L, with a slight deviation to be noted.

As seen in Fig, 1, the longer depending portion [8a of the arm has a reverse bend l8b to enable the bend I of the L, which is made with a fairly large radius, to cover an are greater than Nested within the bend I80 is a hub IQ of generally polygonal outline, the hub being welded to the arm as indicated by the crossed lines, and the weld subsequently ground smooth.

The hub I9 is apertured to receive a stationary pivot screw 20 having a washer 2| under its head,

the screw being threaded into a Z-mounting bracket 22, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and being locked at the rear of the bracket by a nut 23.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the bracket 22 is secured by a screw 24 and dowel 25 to the frame l3 of the press, and is so shaped that the pivot screw 20 is located approximately midway between the guides l2, and in front of the ram I I.

By this construction the long portion [8a of the guard arm l8 may be moved about the pivot screw 20 so that it sweeps across the front of the die-space 26 between the ram II and the press bed Illa.

For the purpose of actuating the guard arm Hi to cause it to travel across the front of the diespace 26 in response to reciprocation of the ram H, according to the invention, a novel operating means is provided comprising a collar 27 adapted to be slidably carried by the operating portion |8d of the guard am Hi. The collar 21 has a stud 28 extending radially from the bore, the stud having a smooth bearing portion 28a and a threaded portion 2% which latter carries a nut 29.

Connecting the collar 21 with the ram H is a link 30 formed of flat stock, shaped by means of a pair of reverse bends 30a and 3% so that its ends are offset from each other. Both ends of the link 30 are apertured, one end having an elongate aperture or slot 30c and the other a round aperture 3001 through which latter the stud 3 28 of the collar 2'1 extends. The nut 29 on the stud prevents inadvertent removal of the latter from the link, a locking set screw 3| being provided in the nut 29 as shown in Fig. 5.

The slotted end of the link 30 is secured by screw means to the ram H of the press, preferably the screw means being one of the screws I! used to secure the punch block [6 to the ram. A washer 3| is provided between the head of the screw I! and the link 39, as shown.

By tightening the screw I], which is usually of substantial size, the link 3!] may be rigidly se cured in place on the ram ll against movement with respect to the latter. Therefore when the ram II is moved vertically, the link 30 will also move, causing swinging of the guard arm l8 about the pivot screw 20, accompanied by sliding of the collar 21 on the arm portion lBd. Thi sliding occurs since the arm portion l8d travels in an arc, whereas the link 36 is fixed n the ram II and does not swingbut moves solely trarislationa-lly.

Adjustment of the guard is very simple. The amount of travel of the arm I8 for a given stroke or travel of'the rain it is adjustablby loosen ing the screw H and changing the angular position of the link 3i! with respect toth'e' ram, after which the screw is again tightened. Byv'arylng the angular position of the link, the. distance between the path of travel of the'co'llar 21, which path is' a straight line, and the pivot sci'ew' 29 is varied, thereby altering the averageleverag'e between thelink and thearin l8.

To adjust the. initial and final positions of the arm I3, shown in Fig. 1', use is'rnade' of the slot 330 in the link, the latter being shifted longitudinally as permitted by the slot at the time that the angular position of the link is being" adjusted.

Thus, the guard may be quickly and'c'onveniently adjusted to suit the particular press on which it is installed, and to accommodate it for use with one die set, or with the multiple die set shown.

After the proper adjustment been effected, the link may be positively lockediii-position drilling and tapping for a locking 'scjrw 3 2', Fig. '1; if desired. 4 r e e The guard structure provided by this invention is simple and economical to produce-"consisting of but few parts, having a simple, foolproof linkage. It may be quickly adjusted to suit any press and to provide a wide sweeper travel of the arm I8, so that safety and proper functioning is assured, and may be easily locked in this adjustment.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. The combination with a press of a guard arm having a rigid, pivot intermediate its ends, mounted in a fixed location with respect to the press frame, one part of said arm extending downward from the pivot whereby the lower end is movable across the front of the die-space of the press without transmitting flexure to the other part of the arm; a link rigidly secured to the ram of the press; and means slidable on the other part of the arm, and, pivotally connected to the link for causing the arm to sweep across said die-space when the ram is lowered and raised, both said arm parts normally extending to one side of a Pl passing vertically through the axis of the pivot.

2; 'A'pr'ess guard comprising s. depending guard arm having a rigid pivot adjacent its upper end, and an extension above the pivot, projecting lat'- erally substantially at right angles to the arni; means for mounting the pivot on the frame of the press 50' that it is located in front of the press rain;- a collar slidab'ly' carried by said extension; a link pivotally connected to the collar; and means for rig-idly fastening the link to the ram of the press whereby, when the guard is installed on the press, raising and lowering" of the ram will cause the guard arm to sweep across the nest of the die-space of the p'ress without transmitting any fie'xure' of the arm to the extension, said arm and extension normally extending tooiie side of aplane passing vertically through the axis of the we PAUL J. MURCKO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent: 1

UNTTED STATES PATENTS Numb r Name D e. 1,2 5,019 Yes et a1 May '1, 191,8 L lf9fl5lQ' h y Ans-18.1 5 1.133.221, J -S. 11. 9. .2 1,738,872 Des Enfants, Sr Dec. 10 1929 .7 MB

Johnson Dec. 17, 1929 

